Port Vale keeper Ryan Boot is determined to hold on to his place after making the most of his chance in Friday’s FA Cup win over Oxford.

The 22 year old got only the third first-team start of his career, and responded by keeping a clean sheet as the Valiants won 2-0 at home to their League One opponents to earn a place in Monday night's second-round draw.

Boot, who has come through the youth system at Vale Park, has had to be patient for a chance as the club have used eight other keepers in the first team in 2017.

But the keeper was told last Monday by manager Neil Aspin that he would be starting in the FA Cup game, and would have the chance to make the position his own.

Read More

Boot said: “It has been a long journey for me. I have been at the club for seven years and come through the youth team, but eventually I have got on the first-team pitch, which everybody is here to do when they come through the youth system.

“It has been five years of hard work with the first team so hopefully it is going to continue.”

Keeper Ryan Boot lines up for Port Vale's FA Cup game at home to Oxford

Aspin took a calculated risk by calling up Boot. The Valiants are only allowed to sign keepers on an emergency loan so long as they don’t have a fit keeper at the club who has made five first-team starts.

Experienced keeper Rob Lainton is out long-term with an ankle injury so that leaves Boot, on three first-team appearances, and Sam Hornby, on four, available.

Read More

Aspin knows that by continuing to put his faith in Boot or Hornby he will rule out the possibility of signing a keeper on an emergency loan, meaning he can’t strengthen that position until the transfer window re-opens in January.

Boot says he has had to be patient for a chance while the club has used emergency loan keepers Kelle Roos and Dimi Evtimov this season.

He said: “It has been really hard mentally but I have got on with it and carried on working hard in training and hoped for a chance. It has come and hopefully I have done enough to keep my place.”

Boot praised the whole team for their performance as the Valiants outplayed an Oxford side who are 10th in League One.

That was an impressive response to the Valiants’ 3-0 defeat at home to Swindon in their previous game, a result that left Aspin’s side third from bottom of League Two.

The keeper said the players are responding to the high-tempo football Aspin wants them to play.

Read More

He said: “I thought we were brilliant, especially after the game at the weekend just gone. That shows what we can do and what we are about.

“He wants us to work hard doesn’t he? And so we should, 100 per cent every game on the pitch. We do what we do in training in the week and then it all comes to the game, that is what we have to do on the pitch.”

Read More

Boot was one of three Vale youth graduates among the back five against Oxford. He played behind a defence which includes home-grown duo James Gibbons and Nathan Smith. A fourth Vale academy graduate, Dan Turner, came on as substitute.